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 Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 7:02 pm
S'kor woke from a nap all in a rush. Something felt wrong. Terribly wrong. He sat up and looked around. The room was quiet. His room mate and dragon were no where to be seen. Not unusual. Then it pinged on him. His dragon was no where to be seen either! Rising he drew on his boots and left the room to go search for the wayward bronze.
Scarath had woken from his nap early. Not wanting to disturb His, who was still sleeping, he had gone to look around a little. The little dragon was a sight as he waddled up and down the 'halls' of the weyrs. Watching everything and everyone with curious eyes.
Soon his belly began rumbling. So he attempted to head back to his weyr, rouse his rider, and his belly to stop complaining. That was the plan anyhow. As chance would have it, Scarath got the scent of something that smelled delicious. He couldn't resist and turned to follow it instead. What he had caught was the smell of fresh sweets coming out of the oven for dinner.
Well it had been for dinner.... The bronze followed his nose to where the chef had placed the danties to cool and proceeded to help himself. His eyes whirled happily and he crooned with delight. The texture! The flavors! They all melted on his tongue.
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Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 2:29 pm
((OOC note on appearance etc for you D: Love rules the pastry chefs with an iron first. She is a small woman at 5'1", looks to be in her late forties or early fifties. Quite plump thanks to her trade, but seldom jolly whilst on the job. Hair is short and straight, given to sticking up at odd angles as she runs her fingers through it a lot. Hair and eye are grey.))
A fraught day in the kitchen was nothing new. A frought day in the kitchen was, in fact, the norm. Hearths blazing, sauces bubbling, bread baking, and burning if the blasted inattentive candidate assigned to it didn't take it out in time... Love - who cursed her parents daily for inflicting such a name upon her - felt quite lucky to have chosen a specialty that was considered too delicate to allow novices within ten paces of it. The ranking folk of the Weyr, and their ranking visitors (when they had them) would not be happy to have their sweets spoiled by clumsy hands.
Today, Love was working on batches of delicate pastries filled with finely chopped, sweetly spiced nuts. The recipe was her own, and she was very proud of it; it wasn't for nothing that she ruled over the other pasty cooks with an iron first, and knitted silver eyebrows over steely eyes. Tonight she would serve these up to the Weyrwoman - Love firmly suppressed a fangirlish sigh - and of course anyone else who the supreme leader of the Weyr felt should get to try them. As there were quite a few, the special treats might filter down as high as the wingseconds.
Smiling slightly to herself in anticipation of praise from her favourite person, Love turned around with a fresh tray from the oven and -
"What in the name of the first egg are y' doing y' little wher?"
A dragonet. It was eating the second tray of danties. It was eating the second tray of danties! Giving a screech of rage, Love slammed the tray she was carrying down on a work surface, and then proceeded to swat at the young dragon with her oven gloves. "Get off it you 'orrible thing; get off!" A dragon was eating her danties! Never in all her days had she seen such at thing! Her danties!
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Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 4:46 pm
The owner of the dainties turned and started scolding. Scarath pulled his head up to his full height, which really wasn't all that impressive. He was a bronze dragon, couldn't she tell a dragon from a wher? A dainty hung from his tooth and he slurped it into his mouth, and crooned. Going for another mouthful the sound of the tray slamming down made his head jerk in surprise. What was wrong? Didn't she want him taste-testing them? The slap to his rump made the little dragon squeal loudly and his eyes whorled yellow.
S'kor felt his dragon's surprise then fear. Scarath?! He broke into a run; he had to find the little dragon before something happened. But where was he?! Skidding to a stop at the lake, grey eyes raked the beaches for his dragon. Not here! Where as the little beast gone? S'kor was beside himself with worry. Figuring he wasn't outside so then he must be inside somewhere. Turning he headed back at a run towards the common buildings.
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Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 3:56 am
"Candlemarks!" Love screeched, snatching away the tray that the bronze had been decimating. "Candlemarks I spent on these, and you gobble them in seconds! These were for the Weyrwoman you know, y' little brute! Where's y' rider? What isn't he 'ere controlling you, you, you," unable to think of an insult deep enough, Love placed the tray out of harm's way and threw her hands up in helpless rage, settling for: "dragonet!" All her hard work! All the time spent finding just the right blend of spices, perfecting the amount of sweetness, working out how finely to chop the nuts!...
There was one tray left untouched.
There was still one tray.
This little horror was not having it!
With the reflexes of a feline, Love sprang to stand directly between the bronze dragon and the intact tray, utterly unaware that the rest of the kitchen had come to a halt to stare at her and the frightened young dragon. "You come one step closer to the rest of my dainties," Love growled, "and I'll box your earknobs, you see if I don't!" It was only then that the small grey-haired woman cast around and took in the stillness of the kitchen... "What're you lot starin' at?" she demanded, cheeks flushing with a mixture of anger and embarrassment and being seen facing off with an over-fed baby dragon that now she actually looked closer seemed to be terrified. "This isn' a spectator sport you know!" she roared, "you all get back to your own business! Shells! Where is this dragon's rider?" She was going to tan the miserable boy's hide!
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Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 10:53 pm
Daunted by the intimidating pasty chef, Scarath back peddled some. He didn't want to be in her reach any more! Helping, he was just helping he tried to croon. His would make this all right and explain to her. A mental call alerted his rider to his location. Suddenly the chef bounded into motion to save her other tray. This surprised the little dragon into emitting a squawk.
Scarath wasn't sure exactly why she was so mad. She was threatening and he was listening. 'Mine Mine, where are you! I neeeeeeed you!' He realized everyone was watching now. Another croon escaped as his wings started to flutter. There was so many here! Were they all as mad as this dangerous female?
S'kor was catching his breath when he caught Scarath's panic/surprise. The young man started running again then put on a burst of speed when Scarath called directly. What are you doing?! Even so, it was several long minutes before the winded ex-trader arrived at the kitchens.
"Scarath!... What is.... going on?" Still breathing hard, he strode in making beeline for the dragon. Reaching out he made a grab at the beating wings to still them before serious damage could be done. Either to the dragon himself, others, or the food. "What do you think you're doing in here?" He was just in time to catch her last question.
Bravely he turned to face the outraged cook. "My pardon m'lady. I'm S'kor, Scarath's rider. I sincerely apologize if he interrupted anything." From the way the staff was acting.... it wasn't good.
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 2:15 am
When the beasts wings started flailing, Love raised an arm instinctively to protect her face even though she wasn't actually in danger of being whacked. After a few moments she lowered her arm, continuing to glower at the young dragon, and only a moment after that, the boy who had to be the guilty rider appeared.
"Interrupting?" she echoed incredulously as the bronze rider spoke. One day this kid could be a wingleader, even weyrleader... Not the latter with the current Weyrwoman; Abigail and Brakiath had far more taste and sense, the great gold would never be caught by a guzzler like this!
"Interrupting," Love repeated in more of a growl, folding her arms across her chest and scowling darkly. "Your dragon, boy, has eaten all but a whole tray full of dainties that were supposed to be for the Weyrwoman and her selected friends," maybe if she'd done a really good job she could have been one of those selected friends, "tonight." Well this little twit had taken all chance of that away. She ought to have whacked him with a rolling pin, forget the oven glove. "He just come in 'ere and 'elped himself. What you got to say for him, and for yourself, weyrling?"
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 1:46 pm
'Mine I got hungry and was coming for you. Then I smelled this place. I was only going to taste-test a few. It was so yummy. I didn't think she would mind a few.' The little dragon seemed to know he was in trouble and lowered his head. He hadn't wanted to get His into trouble!
S'kor sighed and put a hand on the wilting bronze. "I see. It seems he thought your dainties smelled very good and wanted to try them. Scarath I want you to promise never to come in here unless I am with you. You have caused this lovely lady a great amount of trouble. By all rights you should apologize to her AND the Weyrwoman." A stern grey eye fixed on the bronze, enforcing a silent order.
Scarath whistles sadly and nodded his head. 'Yes Mine. I wont come in without you with me.' He cringed slightly at the order to apologize. Did he really have to go close to her? Under the stern eye of his rider, Scarath slowly shuffles forward to the dainty chef and touches his nose to the nearest part in apology.
He watched approvingly. "I know my way around the kitchen. If you would accept my help, I'll gladly offer it. Perhaps we can turn out several more trays."
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Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 5:45 am
"...Well, alright then." Love nodded sharply, unwilling to admit that the boy's politeness and the very sorry looking bronze had melted her heart somewhat. "If you can help me make up a second tray, I'll not need to say anything about this to the Weyrwoman. We're short on the nuts I've used for this, but we've others that we can blend with what I do have left. I'll say that I made two varieties to see which she liked best, and you'll thank your stars you 'ent caught me in a bad mood."
Somewhere in the kitchen one of her underlings snickered at that last, and love turned to shoot a steely glare at the offender before adding; "A worse mood than some folk - who will be scrubbing the floors and tables later - seem to think I usually am." That'd teach them... Well, probably not with that one; trying to mold that one into a good and respectful young man was like trying to teach a herdbeast to fly.
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Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 1:47 pm
"Yes m'lady." S'kor took a moment to look around the kitchens. "Scarath there's a small cove over there. Go settle yourself out of the way while I help with this. And don't go sampling anything else!" He watched the dragon shuffle over to the spot and sit down. Turning back to Love, he inclined his head. "Shall I get to work on the nuts then?" It sounded like the most tedious part, so he offered to do it.
Inwardly he sighed to himself. He hadn't really wanted to be spending his afternoon in the kitchens. However, it seemed he would be spending a lot of time here, at least until Scarath couldn't fit anymore; he might as well make friends. Or as friendly as this chef would be.
Scarath settled himself into the cove his rider indicated. His head up and his eyes bright as he watched His. Maybe one of the passing chefs would take pity and feed him something.
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 3:38 am
"I 'ent anyone's lady, lad," Love said with a snort as she retrieved the almost empty basket of special nuts. "Y' can call me L," she went on, grabbing a basket of more ordinary nuts too and then a mallet, "most everyone else does. Everyone who likes their knuckles un-whacked by rolling pins anyway. 'ere now, you can start f' me by cracking all of them nuts, and two double handfuls of those. Try not to crush the nuts, but it don't matter if they don't come out perfect seen as we're choppin' them anyway. While you do that, I'll mix up the sweetner with the spices."
So saying, the small chef recovered the required ingredients, and retrieved her mixing bowl from beside one of the sinks; nobody had got around to washing it yet but she wasn't about of moan, it was all the same stuff anyway.
"So, which one are you then?" Love asked of the young bronze rider. "No offense to y', but I don't really keep up with the names of weyrlings that well, not even you bronze lads." She was pretty good with golds, but golds were golds and you sort of had to know who they were. Especially the weyrwoman. Nobody could miss that one, even before she'd become senior Love had known who she was in the same way that fainting fans knew their favorite heartthrob harper.
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 9:19 am
'What do nuts taste like Mine? (Pause)..... Are you going to put in some of your spices?' The dragon was full of avid curiosity and eagerness to help.
S'kor inclined his head politely. "You could be. If nothing else, it was meant as a title of respect. Where would the Weyr be without its sweets chef?" I'll save one for you to try later. Stay there! He silently ordered as his dragon started to come over. And no. She has her own spices that she wants to use. I'm not going to interfere with her recipe.
Spreading out the indicated nuts, then grabbing the mallet. An experimental heft showed him the weight and balance of it. His young muscles bulged under his tunic as he calculatedly laid into the nuts. Enough to crack most, and harm very few.
"None taken. I'm not surprised you don't know me. I'm S'kor and that's Scarath." He flushed a little. "We were the stands impression at the beginning of the hatching." All-in-all, he was still unsure of his standing in the Weyr. Being an ex-trader, and now apparently a bronze rider. How fast his life had changed when those eggs started to crack.
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Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 3:00 am
"Ahhh, right," Love nodded, setting about measuring the amounts of various ingredients for her pastry with a practiced eye, "I remember now. Had a couple out of the stands, didn't we?" Well, she supposed a stands boy couldn't be expected to know how to control a dragon as well as one who'd had candidate lessons leading up to their Impression; she couldn't really blame him, and his dragon was very young, and he was trying to fix what the silly beast had ruined. All in all, no hard feelings.
"If y' dragon, Scarath that is, wants t' try something of mine in future," Love said after a pause, "you come an' talk t' me; I can nearly always spare at least a taste." Maybe not as much of a taste as the bronze would like, but some was better than none for him, and just a bit was better than a whole sharding tray of danties for her.
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Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 4:37 pm
S'kor quickly shelled the nuts and put them in a bowl for mincing. He wanted to be sure they were done right, so look a little more time with this part. "Yeah, I think so." Other than his sister, he wasn't too sure. Scarath had been intent on filling his rather large belly at the time, thereby keeping S'kor occupied with providing meat.
He smiled at the chef. "Thank you. He'll like that. I'll make sure to keep a closer watch on him in the future." He was utterly glad the chef wasn't going to take it personal and/or tell the Weyrwoman. The nuts looked close to done, so he passed them off to the chef.
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Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 3:54 am
"Good lad," Love nodded, scattering flour lightly over a work surface before plonking down the mixed dough; so long as he stuck to his word and kept his hungry bronze in line (and continued being as helpful and respectful as he was right now) she had nothing against the young rider.
"You roll that out thin for me, about half as thick as your smallest finger, and I'll season the nuts... Humm, nicely diced," she nodded as she inspected the weyrling's work and reached for the first ingredient that needed to be added, "y' could've made a good cook had y' not Impressed," she added with a grin, "but with the dragon you got, looks like you'll be spending a good deal of time down here anyway."
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Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 10:02 pm
"Yes ma'am." He set the dough in the flour after getting just enough flour on his hands so the dough wouldn't stick to him. Rolling it out was a pleasant activity that didn't require much thought; as long as he paid attention that it wasn't too thick here or too thin there. "Thank you. I'm glad you approve." His grin told Love he knew he would have had to continue if it hadn't been nicely diced.
S'kor laughed, "that I fear I will." There really wasn't anything wrong with that. He loved the spices, his dragon loved the spices, and his dragon loved to sample. He bent his head to the rolling to wait for the slight flush of compliment to pass. It really was illogical. S'kor would have sworn he was a mediocre cook. "My main interest with the caravan was trading spices. I did... I do have an interest on how the spices change with cooking."
From his spot in the kitchen, Scarath trilled happily. He liked the thought of His down here where it smelled delicious.
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